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Identification of Post-translational Modifications of Plant Protein Complexes
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Published on: February 22, 2014

Dissimilar sweet proteins from plants: oddities or normal components?

Delia Picone1, Piero Andrea Temussi

  • 1Università di Napoli Federico II, via Cinthia 45, Naples 80126, Italy.

Plant Science : an International Journal of Experimental Plant Biology
|August 28, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Sweet proteins from tropical fruits offer intense sweetness but lack typical family similarities. Their unique "wedge model" interaction with the sweet taste receptor surface explains their sweet taste.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Sensory Science

Background:

  • Certain tropical fruits contain intensely sweet proteins.
  • These proteins belong to a common family but lack sequence and structural similarities, unlike typical protein families.
  • Sweet proteins are an exception, sharing only their taste function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the nature, structure, and mechanism of action of well-known sweet tasting proteins.
  • To discuss taste-modifying proteins.
  • To explain the unique interaction of sweet proteins with the sweet taste receptor.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of sweet tasting proteins.
  • Analysis of protein structure and function.
  • Discussion of proposed mechanisms of action, including the "wedge model".

Main Results:

  • Sweet proteins exhibit unusual properties, lacking sequence and structural homology despite belonging to the same family.
  • Their large molecular volume prevents interaction with orthosteric sites on the sweet taste receptor.
  • The "wedge model" proposes interaction with the external receptor surface.

Conclusions:

  • Sweet proteins utilize a unique mechanism to elicit taste perception.
  • Their interaction with the sweet taste receptor surface, explained by the "wedge model", is distinct from typical ligand-receptor interactions.
  • This mechanism may be linked to the enzymatic inhibitory functions of related proteins in their families.